by Xinhua writers Cao Pengyuan, Xu Lingui and Huo Siying
GUANGZHOU, Dec.12 (Xinhua) — China’s homegrown video games, once lesser-known on the global stage, are now generating a wave of enthusiasm among players around the world, with their rising prowess in virtual world-building and storytelling underpinned by Chinese culture.
One of the latest examples is “Where Winds Meet,” an open-world action-adventure role-playing game (RPG) developed by China’s Everstone studio and NetEase Games, wich has already crossed the 9-million-player milestone in the two weeks as its release on overseas platforms last month.
Set in the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-979), the game imagines an ancient world of Wuxia — meaning “martial arts chivalry” or “heroes” in Chinese — thru cutting-edge game engine, audio-visual and motion-capture technologies.
The game has garnered “very positive” reviews on the Steam gaming platform.One reviewer wrote that “Where Winds Meet” had exceeded all previous expectations. “I was here for the story and immersion, but the actual gameplay from exploration to combat are also very satisfying.”
“Seeing more Chinese games released globally genuinely warms my heart because I deeply appreciate the culture and enjoy learning about it. As a passionate C-drama fan, this makes me feel even more connected to one of my favorite genres,” reads another review.
“where Winds Meet” is not the only game that has drawn an overseas fan base by creating a captivating game world with a unique Chinese twist.In another example, “Marvel rivals,” a multiplayer shooting game also launched by NetEase Games and a nominee of the Game Awards (TGA) 2025, is critically acclaimed for its creative motion design that not only reflects the aesthetics of the Marvel universe but also integrates China’s traditional martial arts.
“We recreated existing heroes with Chinese elements or backgrounds, and infused them with Eastern design and storytelling,” said Jiang Tao, Marvel Rivals’ l
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